Discussing Islam - A losing battle?

I originally wrote this article in July, 2010. Sometimes it really does pay to revisit things.

“Perhaps these things that seem important to me are unimportant, but they are all a part of the great human tragedy that stands before us. And if I could do something, which I can’t, to make the world better, I would try to have it more tolerant, more kindly, more understanding; could I do that and nothing else, I would be glad.”

These were the words of Clarence Darrow during his closing argument in the case of People v. Henry Sweet on May 11, 1926 and as the saying goes, “the more things change, the more they stay the same”. The point that Darrow was making was just because some things seemed unimportant, it didn’t mean they were and if one would listen, not just hear, but listen, they too may come to realize the truth.

When I set out to learn about terrorism at a very early age I had no intention of learning anything about, let alone becoming what many have called an “expert” on Islam. I didn’t care about Islam, I didn’t really care about any religion other than my own, I wanted to learn about terrorism and that is what I did.

I started with the history of terrorism, what better way to study a subject than to start at the beginning? I started with the Zealots and the Sicarii in biblical times and learned about terrorism from its original roots all the way up through the 21st Century. Throughout my studies there was one defining factor that kept showing up and the more I learned the more it reared its ugly head, Islam.

I’ve been called an Islamophobe, a racist, a hater of Muslims - you name it, I’ve heard it. Funny thing though, other than Muslims, every person who has ever called me something along these lines knew nothing about Islam.

Most people have never read the Bible, so to ask them to read the Quran is like pulling teeth. Most people only expose themselves to information that matches their own opinions because it is easier and more comfortable; that’s just human nature. Most people think of Islam as a religion rather than a theocracy and therefore assume, “it’s a religion like Christianity or Judaism and cannot possibly call for death to other religions or war or violence because Christianity and Judaism doesn’t.”

Most people just don’t want to hear or know the truth if it goes against their own morals. It’s easier to say “you’re wrong, Muslims are no longer like that, that was in the 600’s, they are modernized now, and stonings no longer happen, they don’t want to dominate the world with Sharia, you’re nuts”. Yes, they would rather believe that, then to hear, learn or face the truth.

To paraphrase Walid Shoebat, the PLO terrorist who converted to Christianity and wrote the book “Why I left Jihad”; In order to understand Islam you must stop looking through Western eyes.

Most people are unaware that unlike the Old and New Testaments (numerous books written over hundreds of years by several people) that the Quran was one book, based upon the revelations and preachings of one illiterate man, compiled shortly after his death from oral and written records. The Quran is meant to be taken literally and again, unlike the Bible, it has few vague or symbolic analogies.

Many people are unaware that when the Quran contradicts itself, the passage written later supersedes the one written earlier. All the parts of the Quran that speak of peace and tolerance were written early on and according to the Islamic tradition, all those passages have been abrogated later by much more violent and less tolerant passages.

Surah 2:106 “And for whatever verse We abrogate or cast into oblivion, We bring a better or the like of it; knowest thou not that God is powerful over everything?”

Surah 16:101 “When We change one verse for another (God knows best what He reveals), they say: ''You are an imposter.'' Indeed most of them have no knowledge.”

To make the issue confusing, the Quran is not arranged in chronological order. The first nine Surahs are at the start because they are the largest. Surah 2 is earlier than Surah 1 and earlier than Surahs 3 to 9.

A much-quoted early verse which is “peacecful”:

Surah 2: 256 There shall be no compulsion in religion: the right way is now distinct from the wrong way. Anyone who denounces the devil and believes in GOD has grasped the strongest bond; one that never breaks. GOD is Hearer, Omniscient.

Is abrogated later by several violent and intolerant verses such as this:

Surah 9: 5 Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them, and take them (captive), and besiege them, and prepare for them each ambush. But if they repent and establish worship and pay the poor-due, then leave their way free. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

So, when most people hear Jihadists quoting violent passages from the Quran and then other Muslims quoting peaceful passages, they interpret it same way they would if someone was quoting the Bible or the Torah and they think to themselves “there are contradicting passages just like in other religions and Muslims can choose which one they want and justify whatever actions they want to take.”. The problem is that the Quran is nothing like that and makes it explicitly clear that you must never alter any part of its message or you will burn in a fiery torment forever.

The fact that Islam is more of a religious ideology than a religion is clear. Islam includes a mandatory and specific legal and political plan for the whole society known as Sharia. There is no separation between the political and the religious in Islam.

Fact: The Quran says that Sharia is the law of Allah and any other form of government is a sin.

Fact: The Quran says that man-made laws and governments (Democracy) and free speech (such as criticizing the Quran) are abominations and must be eliminated.

Fact: Striving to institute worldwide Sharia law until all governments have been converted is an Islamic religious obligation for all Muslims.

As I explained in my article “Call PETA, no one else is doing anything” some Sharia law facts are:

• Sharia law commands that drinkers and gamblers are to be whipped.

There you have the FACTS. I don’t care if you are a Liberal or a Conservative, average or intellectual, if you have not bothered to read any of the Quran then you do not know Islam. Don’t assume that because it is a “religion” let alone “the religion of peace” that this is something that won’t affect you.

I have often ended many of my articles and speeches by saying “Tell someone. Educate someone. Whether it is your spouse, a friend or a co-worker, stand up and speak up for what you know is right.” This time I ask you to educate yourself, if you don’t have the desire to buy and read the Quran, go online and look up some of what I have stated here. If after your own research you decide that Islam is a “religion of peace” and most Muslims are “moderate”, then as Clarence Darrow said “it is unimportant, but they are all a part of the great human tragedy that stands before us”.

Gadi Adelman is a freelance writer and lecturer on the history of terrorism and counterterrorism. He grew up in Israel, studying terrorism and Islam for 35 years after surviving a terrorist bomb in Jerusalem in which 7 children were killed. Since returning to the U. S., Gadi teaches and lectures to law enforcement agencies as well as high schools and colleges. His articles have appeared in The Jerusalem Post, Frontpage Mag, Family Security Matters and dozens of other sites. He can be heard every Thursday night at 8PM est. on his own radio show “America Akbar” on Blog Talk Radio. He can be